Birthday Expectations
by MiaMoyes
Summary: It's that time of year again, Ranger's Birthday. What is to come about when one of the dynamic duo has very high expectations and the other has none?
1. Chapter 1

A Week before Ranger's Birthday:

Babe's POV

What in the hell do you get the man who has everything? If he wants something he just goes out and gets it. He's an opportunist, mercenary, bounty hunter, security specialist, Cuban sex god, batman, man of mystery, friend, mentor and my one time lover. Ah hell he's all that and a bag of chips. He makes life happen he doesn't wait for life to happen to him, he is amazing. But don't get me wrong, he isn't perfect he can be an arrogant, egotistical ass. But he is unapologetically who he is, and as my mentor and friend he wishes for me to be the same. He wants me to be me, I want that too. I want to fly, but it is very hard when battled from others for all the years of my life. The favorite weapon that my mother uses is Catholic Guilt. Oh can she wield that weapon, what with her chant of 'why me', so and so daughter does this or doesn't do that, and constantly throwing my on/off again boyfriend at me to marry and have the appropriate amount of kids with. Who would want to marry a man who tries to suppress my inner intergalactic warrior princess, when he's not chugging Maalox he is telling me how worthless I am at my job and life. Nope, that is counter productive in my quest to fly.

But enough about them what in the hell am I going to get Ranger for his birthday? His wants are pretty much covered: fancy cars, fancy clothes, fancy furniture, and fancy buildings. I know he is pretty much a loner, likes to keep EVERYTHING private. So there goes the thought of throwing him a surprise party. Yea I can see that going over like me blowing up another car. So where does that leave me getting him…

Maybe I just need to look at what he needs. He needs a break, a break from saving the universe, a break from RangeMan, a break from the day to day grind. He needs to get away. I do have a very nice cushion in my savings account, rent is caught up and the credit card bills have been paid down. It is nice to have a steady decent study that RangeMan has been providing, well worth the training and stricter diet. So now I just need to talk with Tank to see if Ranger and I can get go 'offline' and for how long. Oh I love it when a plan comes together.

Ranger's POV

No expectations! That is what I think of when I think of my birthday. If there are no expectations then there are no disappointments, plain and simple. With the life that I have lived I do not deserve to have any expectations for my birthday. I am unworthy of self celebrations, due to all the death and destruction I have caused through the years.

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A/N: This will not be a long story approximately 4 chapters. I have finished Madness, and am still working on Frenzy and Self-Pity for this fandom but this story that has been roaming around my brain for the past couple of months. As usual I make no $$'s and characters belong to Ms. Evanovich I just use them for my own and hopefully your amusement.


	2. Chapter 2

The Beginning of the Week of Ranger's Birthday:

Babe's POV

Wow I guess interrogation and negotiation skills are a RangeMan requirement, because Tank has them in spades. When I went to him last week requesting time off for not only me but for Ranger too he immediately starts grilling on me on where we were going, what were we going to do. I swear he has taking gossiping lessons from Lula; he was channeling his inner 'burgette wanting juicy gossip. Through our 'discussion' he did help me find the perfect place to take Ranger for a surprise birthday get-a-way. A private island in the keys of Florida, it was a close as I could get him to Cuba within the United States of America and still have our privacy.

Coupon Key was really expensive, Tank had set it all up for me, and he even paid the cost of the rental as his birthday present to Ranger. In Tank's words "That man is incredibly difficult to buy a present for, this should make up for all the years he wouldn't let me buy him one. The bonus will be in surprising him, maybe I should go just to see him break his blank face."

So without having to cover the cost of lodging I booked some activities for us to indulge in for the week. Most of them I kept Ranger's sense of adventure in mind a maybe one or two my idea of rest and relaxation. You know amongst the jet skiing, deep sea fishing and snorkeling there will be massages.

I paid to have the house stocked with groceries and have set up a dinner to be catered on the dock on the day of his birthday. Even though we will be getting there separately, I booked our trip back to Trenton first class all the way. I also already wrote a check to RangeMan to cover Ranger's cost of getting to the island. Now I have to go shopping for a week's worth of vacation clothes for the Ranger and me, no black for the birthday boy! I may not be getting him a tangible birthday gift but I hope the time away will be something he could use.

So between the two of us, we came up with a plan, my scheming ways with his follow through. I hope Tank and I are able to pull this off and we don't get shipped to some third world country.

Ranger's POV

If I was a lesser man I would be throwing a fit. I can't believe I have go to Florida, there is a client that requires my presences evidently there have been a few minor disturbances with his jewelry store.

One of the incidents didn't even happen to his property but to the restaurant next door. There were animals in the dumpster and they managed to push the dumpster up against the door of the jewelry store door making the alarm go off.

A week before that there was an elderly couple in the store and they tried to use the bathrooms in the store, even though they aren't for the customer. But the clerk felt badly for them when they were describing the changing of the older gentleman's depends. Evidently when the wife was waving her hands about getting into graphic description and off duty police officer thought the store was being burglarized. So this leads me to South Florida for a little client hand holding.

If it wasn't bad enough that this was happening it has to happen the week of my birthday. I know that I don't have any expectations for my birthday, but I need a bit of my solace, I normally don't plan on seeing my Babe. But I thought that night I might watch her sleep, like I do before I go 'in the wind'.

I don't even get the chance to be in Miami so that I can check in with that office or maybe even see Julie. No I have to fly to Miami catch a commuter plane down to Key West, and then I have to take a water taxi out to his island. It seems that the client is on vacation. I will be re-arranging my schedule to meet his.

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A/N: As usual I make no $$'s and characters belong to Ms. Evanovich I just use them for my own and hopefully your amusement.


	3. Chapter 3

The Week of Ranger's Birthday:

Babe's POV

I get to the island and it is incredible. I call Tank and thank him for all his help in setting this up. I have about an hour and a half to get both of us unpacked and meet Ranger at the dock. I seriously hope he likes this; I have Tank on speed dial so that he can re-assure Ranger that all will be well with RangeMan while we are gone.

Once everything is unpacked I get a quick shower to wash off the stench of airplane from my body so that I can get into relaxation mode. I change into one of my new bikinis and put a sundress on over it. I walk down to the dock and a wait for his arrival.

Ranger's POV

The beginning of this 'client' mandated trip has me feeling off, if I had my Babe's spidey sense it would be screaming at me now, but I my sixth sense that I rely on is telling me something isn't right. Not that I am in any danger, but everything is not as it seems.

I am in the water taxi as we are heading towards our destination I can see the dock that we will be pulling up to. As we get closer I can see the figure of a woman waiting on the dock. I get the familiar pull in my gut that I get whenever my Babe is around, how can that be she's back in Trenton. Closer and closer we get I know this is her, I know her body and while the boat is being tied to the dock I can see the blue of her eyes. She walks towards the boat and extends her hand to help me out of the boat.

"Babe" I know she thinks she doesn't have ESP but she seems to know what I mean whenever I just use her nickname. This time it's 'what are you doing here' combined with 'I'm fine getting out of the boat by myself'.

She throws her arms around me when I get on the dock; again if I was a lesser man she would have knocked us either into the water or into the boat. She starts giggling "SURPRISE!" Then she pulls back a little bit and kisses me but again pulls back before we both get lost into the kiss she whispers against my lips "Happy Birthday Ranger".

She is so excited pure happiness is flowing from her; she grabs my hand and takes me towards a house on stilts. As we are walking she tells me "I promise a full explanation when we get to the house."

It only takes us about 5 minutes to get to the house. I notice the water taxi captain is following us with my bags. He deposits them inside of the front door then turns to leave. Steph takes me into the house to what I assume is the living room there is a rattan couch with a ton of pillows on it that sits in front of a very impressive view of the water.

"Before I start explaining, I know it's been a very long trip down here. Do you want something to drink or need to use the restroom?" She asks. "I'll take water" I replied.

I watch her as she goes to the kitchen to get my water, I like the open floor plan of this house, and she isn't out my sight. Watching her fuss with the ice dispenser reminds me that of her concern of my comfort she is always thinking of others; this is one of the many reasons that I love her.

Oh yes I love her, always have and always will. I'm just a complete ass on how I have handled it. Now I am so scared that if I do try to pursue more with her, I will loose her in my life. I don't think I would survive if she wasn't in my life. I have put myself in-between a rock and hard place, I am damned if I tell her I am in love with her and she doesn't reciprocate because of all the b.s. that I have told her through the years I am also damned if I don't tell her because that leaves her to fall in love with someone else.

It was a very close call with Morelli, but thankfully when he was offered a position in a joint Philadelphia/Trenton Task Force he left and she stayed, it ended their on/off relationship. Lesser men sigh, BAMFs just slam their blank face into place.

She comes back into the living room with two glasses of water for us. She sets them on the cocktail table then makes herself comfortable on the couch and motions for me to sit.

"Ok, so like I said before 'Happy Birthday Surprise' I couldn't decide what to get the man who has everything he wants for his birthday. So I decided to get him something he may need, some time away from everything. I worked with Tank for your birthday week get-a-way. We are here for a week of some serious R& R, no saving the universe, no cars blowing up, no day to day drudgeries, no 'Burg, no FTAs just you, me and a private island."

I am astounded; I can't believe what she has done for me. I can't say anything, I pull her into my arms and kiss her I pour all the love and appreciation I have for her into that kiss. I have always believed that actions speak louder than words and since I can't form words the action of the kiss is going to have to be enough.

When we pull apart and get our breathing back under control she manages to flex her sarcastic muscle "So I take you like your present?"

"Babe, it is beyond my expectations." We spent the rest of the day getting acquainted with the house and each other. She told me all about the planning that went into my birthday, how there was no client that 'had' to meet me and the upcoming adventures she has planned for us. I know I am usually a man of not many words, this time it's because there are none, just the feeling of being loved by this incredible woman.

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A/N: As usual I make no $$'s and characters belong to Ms. Evanovich I just use them for my own and hopefully your amusement.


	4. Chapter 4

Ranger's Birthday:

Babe's POV

This week has been heaven on earth, if I hadn't already been in love with Carlos before I definitely am now. Yup, he asked me to call him Carlos, actually he phrased it a bit differently 'I only want to hear one thing from your lips Babe and its Carlos'. How's a girl to respond to a request like that from the Cuban Sex God, I chanted his name like it was a Gregorian Monk prayer. Bliss I am in completely blissful state of mind.

This time away from everything has been better than I could even begin to imagine. We talk actual multi-word sentences, it's amazing. We tell each other things I don't think another living soul knows about. This place has made it so he is open with me, his walls are down and he has invited me into his world and I have eagerly accepted in invitation. I know we haven't talked about what is going on between us, neither of us wants to break this fantastical cocoon we have surrounded ourselves in.

Trenton will either bring about continual joy or heart breaking let down. I think I will live the rest of this trip in Denial Land that I have renamed Coupon Key.

Ranger's POV

The gift my Babe has given me, this week of just her in a place where it is paridaise on earth. I don't know how much more touched I could be when she told me she chose here because it's close to Cuba. I have embraced this week with her, I have actually started opening up to her. We talk all the time; watching the sunrise, basking in the sun and surf, watching the sunset, late into the night.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that opening up to her like this would affect making love to her. There is so much more there between us.

I decided I don't want this to end; I don't want this to be just an incredible birthday week I want this to be my life. I have wasted so needlessly time with her, if I wasn't so set in my ways it could be like this between us years ago. But maybe we needed that time to become friends, to trust each other and to work out our own fears of being together. Dios I hope she has worked hers out because I want her for all of time.

Today's my birthday and I have been doing some planning. I already know about the romantic dinner that my Babe has set up, I don't want to take away from her efforts to my birthday, and I just want to add my own into them. I called Tank and had him send me a next day delivery very special delivery. The hard part about this delivery was slipping out of bed with her wrapped around me, but the delivery was set for 5 a.m. so I wasn't worried too much about Babe waking up fully. Once I had what I needed and was able to hide it I got to slip back into bed and wake her up in a very intimate way that left us both extremely happy birthday glows. It's good to be the 'Birthday Boy' as has said all week.

We had massages on the beach, spent the day like we had this past week in each others arms getting lost to our passion for one another. When it was time for dinner we took separate showers and got ready, her reason so that we would actually get to eat my special birthday dinner. But this worked to benefit my plans as I was able to hide my earlier delivered package.

I was so excited and nervous all at the same time, but that went away when she met me in the foyer to go to dinner. She was beyond beautiful her skin was sun kissed, her hair had lightened due to our time in the sun and her eyes were bluer than the ocean. I know she had to notice my nerves but she never mentioned a thing she just gave me a smile that was present in her eyes. She is happy and I hope I get to show keep that smile on her face for the rest of our lives.

After we had eaten and were just watching the sunset while dancing on the dock I got a hold of my strength and decided that this was the moment when she thanked me "Thank you for staying this week with me, thank you for letting me do this for you. You have given me so much through the years and this seems like such a small thing I could do for you."

We stopped dancing and I looked into her eyes, "Stephanie, you have given me more with this trip than my dreams could have ever thought up. I have thought that I didn't deserve any birthday celebrations that I was unworthy because of what I have had to become. I made sure I had no expectations of spending my birthday with another not wanting anything for myself but living this week with you makes me want one more gift. You are the only person that can give it to me."

I got down on one knee while still looking into her eyes and opened the engagement ring I had made for her years ago, "_I know I am not an easy man to live with, I don't talk much and I am romantically challenged, but I love you and I want to marry you._ (*) Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you marry me?"

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A/N: As usual I make no $$'s and characters belong to Ms. Evanovich I just use them for my own and hopefully your amusement.

* These were the words my husband said to me when he proposed to me on my birthday almost 10 years ago!

One more chapter after this one told y'all this would be a short one!

Also, I was asked what BAMFs from the previous chapter meant. Bad Ass Mother Fucker, sometimes the acronym is a little nicer but still has the same sentiment.


	5. Chapter 5

Babe's Birthday:

Ranger's POV

Two months ago I thought I was the happiest I could ever be, and then my Babe blew my no expectations out of the water and took me away for my birthday. I now no longer have expectations because I feel I don't deserve them. I don't have expectations because I am enjoying EVERY moment I have. But now it's my Babe's birthday and I have planned a duplicate get-a-way for us that she had planned for my birthday plus an additional birthday surprise.

Babe's POV

Two months since Carlos birthday and he has brought me back to Coupon Key. It has been a whirlwind two months. Knowing each other for so long made the transition into our relationship nearly seamless.

When I said yes to marry my fiancee, we had a long talk on what we want to not only make this marriage work but to make each of us thrive and fly. He wanted to make sure that the opinion of others does not dictate anything in our marriage. As he said, he wants it to be 'him and I against the world, not him and I against each other." With that as our motto for our lives together, if someone doesn't approve of us, eh fuck them, hear that Morelli? Mom? If someone wants something out of us that the other is uncomfortable with, like knowing where the bat-cave is, sorry Lula and Connie but fuck them. We will fight the world to support one another let others be damned.

My move into the RangeMan building happened without us being there, when we got back to Trenton the Merry Men under Ella's guidance took care of it all. She is AWESOME!

Thankfully she agreed to adopt me because after the dinner Carlos and I had at my parents house I don't think I have a Mom anymore. She was NOT happy I was getting married which to me didn't make sense because that seemed what she wanted me to do with Morelli. I guess it wasn't so much that she wanted me married it's who she wanted me to marry. All it took was one too many insults to Carlos for me to flip my shit. I told her that she never supported me so what if I disappointed her one more time. If she ever wanted to be my mother instead of my judge then we will talk but as it currently stands we are not talking.

Daddy said he was proud of me, things are good between us. He's so happy that his 'pumpkin' is marrying a BAMF and not a man boy like Valerie did. Daddy keeps hinting for a grandson. He's gonna have to hold on for that one it is way to soon to be thinking about that. So if adding more y chromosomes into the family wasn't enough to make Daddy thrilled the fact that we moved Grandma into my old apartment had him doing the happy dance.

So now that Grandma is all set, Daddy has his bathroom back and Mom is out of my family picture. Val has been incognito neither siding with Mom nor siding with Daddy, it's like she doesn't know who to make happy. To me that is very sad that she can't make up her own mind, but I guess that is the years of the 'burg programing at work.

However, there were some stout supporters of us being together besides Daddy and Grandma, the cheer that went up at RangeMan I swear could be heard on Mars. I lost count of the number of guys that patted Carlos on the back and said "About time man" or something along those lines.

After we spent that incredible week here for Carlos' birthday, I never expected for him to bring us back here. But if we have learned anything it is not to have expectations out of one another, it is just enjoy what each other brings to the other. I am really feeling sappy; I think it's this place. This island will always hold a special place in my heart because this is where he and I became a 'we'.

But he did bring us back here, we have had pretty much spent this week as a duplicate as we did our other week, except we are making love a lot more than we did before. I thought we were going at it all the time last trip, pfft that was nothing compared to this trip. I think it is because he knows he is mine and I am his, that is a pretty powerful aphrodisiac.

I woke up the day before my birthday to a room full of flowers but no Carlos just a note.

It was a beautiful note, "It is time to make it legal what we feel in our hearts, that it is just you and I against the world, Babe. I have everything planned for the days festivities, the only thing you need to do is to get your gorgeous self ready. I will be waiting for you at our sunset spot when you are ready. I love you with all my heart and my soul! Your Carlos"

The excitement that I felt flow through me was exhilarating I did my morning wake up ritual on autopilot. I walked out into the bedroom and there is a tray of Boston cream doughnuts and coffee waiting for me on the remade bed. I didn't think I pee'd that long but evidently I did, and what a wonderful fiancee I have that he does things like this for me.

Two hours later I have ate, done my all of my nails (hands and toes) so I head into the shower. While I was in the shower my fabulous fiancee has replaced my tray with a light fruit and cheese platter plus some water and juice to drink. He also hung up a garment bag up in front of the closet. I open it and find the perfect dress to get married in on the beach, of course it's perfect, he picked it out. He has wonderful taste, it is a strapless ivory lace tea length dress. I went to finish getting ready. He even included bra and panties, but no shoes. I like the idea of being barefoot while we get married.

I walk out of the bedroom making sure to put his wedding ring on my right ring finger and make my way to our sunset spot on the beach. There he is looking amazing as always. I look him from toe to head, no shoes, a pair of khaki shorts and ivory guayabera short sleeved shirt. His hair is loose and his eyes are devouring me. He is standing next to a woman I have never met before.

"Stephanie you are exquisite, I am the luckiest man that ever was or ever will be because you will be my wife for life." He leaned in and gave me a kiss that held all of his love and appreciation for me.

"Babe, this is Amy Heavilin, she's the clerk of the court for Monroe County. She's going to witness our marriage to make you and I legal. I thought that since we are nontraditional that we would do this how we want and just speak to each other from our hearts. Is that ok with you?"

"Sounds perfect Carlos." I answer him.

"Stephanie Michelle, you have irrevocably changed my life. There is a poem from e.e. cummings that I think covers a small part of how I feel:

silently if out of not knowable

night's utmost nothing, wanders a little guess

(only which is this world) more of my life does

not leap than with the mystery your smile

sings or if (spiraling as luminous

they climb oblivion) voices who are dreams,

less into heaven certainly earth swims

than each my deeper death becomes your kiss

losing through you what seemed myself; i find

selves unimaginably mine; beyond

sorrow's own joys and hoping's very fears

yours is the light by which my spirit's born:

your is the darkness of my soul's return

you are my sun, my moon and all my stars

My Babe since you came into my life you are my sun, my moon and all of my stars. I tried to fight it, but I couldn't and I wont anymore you will be my best friend, my lover, my Babe which all has a simple title of 'wife' you are more than I can ever describe. You and I against the world, my wife."

He reached into his pocket pulls out my wedding band and places it on my left ring finger, he kisses my hand the wipes away the tears that are flowing from my face. After a few deep breaths I get myself under control.

"Ricardo Carlos I don't have any poems to recite to you and I don't think I will come up with as powerful of words as you have. I can just tell you that I love you, I have loved you in one way or another since I have known you. I have been in love with you longer than I admitted to myself you are my Batman, my best friend, my lover, my Ranger which all has a simple title of 'husband' you are my everything. You and I against the world, my husband."

I took his left hand in mine and transferred his ring from my finger to his. As soon as I did that he cupped my cheeks with his hands and kissed me. It bordered on overly passionate kiss, but this kiss was the first of many for our married lives and it was the perfect kiss as husband and wife.

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A/N: As usual I make no $$'s and characters belong to Ms. Evanovich I just use them for my own and hopefully your amusement.

I thank you for each and every Review/Favorite/Follow. I know I haven't replied to any of your gracious and kind reviews but they have meant the world to me! THANK YOU!


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